Dzungala - Heroic Tier (Backgrounds)
Dzungala The campaign begins on the mote of Dzungala. Located in upper NorthWestern fronteer Dzungala is a small Jungle mote recently conquored by the Tengal Empire and stolen from Iyiniwok Confederacy in the year 1471 just 3 years ago. Dragonborn explorers first discovered the mote in 808 DY and named it Azun’zadi. A cursory examination revealed that it was infested with terrible monsters and a small tribe of Goliaths, so the explorers left it alone. By the mid-nine hundreds, the Goliaths had carved out a small part of the jungle and created a fort to protect them from the monsters. Eventually they expunged the worst of the motes inhabitants, leaving it ripe for colonization. The mote today is still mostly uncivilized, with dark areas and caves where monsters continue to thrive. The mote's best-known landmark, apart from the small coastal town on its western shore, is an ancient ruin on a hill marked with serpentine statuary, and beneath the ruin, a partially collapsed dungeon complex adorned with serpentine motifs. Tempust Tempust is the largest settlement on the mote, built upon its eastern shore. “Tyrak’n” means Haven to the Iyiniwok. In 1369 DY, Dragonborn came back to the mote in search of treasure and encountered hill giants and orcs wandering the hills. After much bloodshed, the Dragonborn crew defeated the giants and orcs and took their gold. Varzgus the Dragonborn Capitan used most of his spoils to build a trading post inside Tempust with the Iyiniwok's permission. Varzgus established trade routes to other civilized motes, and this recently attracted the Tengal Empires attention. Varzgus survived the Tengal invasion of his home and lost his trading post in the process. Cyrik is the current magistrate and oversees all business in Tempust. Nothing ever seems to slip past his guard, thanks to his wife Thariel, who has an uncanny gift for knowing everything about everyone in town. The wooden palisade that once protected Tempust has partially been replaced by a new stone wall. Construction of the fortified wall is progressing slowly due to a lack of funds and skilled stonemasons, but Magistrate Cyrik de Deagla is determined to complete the work in the next year or two. The buildings of Tempust are mostly single-story wooden longhouse affairs, with a few notable exceptions. de Deagla Manor is a two-story stone house with a turret in one corner. Across the street is the stone Temple of Avandra. Tempust also has an old stone garrison tower atop a hillock, although it needs work and is currently encased in wooden scaffolding. The caravel that brought Varzgus to the mote over a hundred years ago is now a permanent feature of the town docks. The Talisman ''has been gutted and transformed into a tavern and brewery. The Talisman’s proprietor, a jovial Tiefling named Lucius, is also the proud brewer of Tempust's notorious Impstinger Ale. One of Lucius’s longtime acquaintances, Captain Ghordan Raiko of the ''Lantheon, is a merchant who brings trade goods to Tempust every month. Raiko’s arrival is always a cause for celebration at the Talisman. Nineteen years ago, an airship called the Morrow’s Folly ''ran aground during a rare torrential storm. The skeletal wreck lies just outside of the town proper and has been thoroughly plundered. The survivors of the wrecked ship (notably the captain and several very young children) were taken in by the local citizenry and still inhabit Tempust to the present day. Captain Morrow has tried his best to help raise the children, but he refuses to speak about where he was taking them before the storm hit. PERSONALITIES OF TEMPUST Tempust has a population of roughly 200 people, including the following noteworthy individuals: Cyrik de Deagla (male Tiefling): Grandson of the great Czar Yevol de Dealga and the current magistrate of Dzungala. Thariel de Deagla (female elf): The magistrate’s wife. Abolition (male tiefling): Captain of the town guard. Jegger Trout (male halfling): Jailor for the town guard. Denarion Morrow (male half-elf): Captain of the wrecked ship ''Morrow’s Folly. Lucien Vezetus (male tiefling): Proprietor of the Talisman ''(a tavern built into an old caravel). Alyson Rivers (female halfling): Local priestess of Avandra. Johias Ilum (male human): Local fisherman and town drunk. Szoltan Grayshard (male dwarf): Crusty local stonemason slave and father of Magnar. Voruna Grayshard (female dwarf): Wife of Szoltan and local schoolmarm. Magnar Grayshard (male dwarf): Local stonemason, dullard, and son of Szoltan and Voruna. Aiven Niri (female eladrin): Reclusive, good-natured local wizard who lives outside of town. Ghordan Raiko (male human): Captain of the hammership ''Lantheon ''under the flag of Sky King Valkroi. Tamara (female dragonborn): First mate of the ''Lantheon. Varzgus (male dragonborn): Was owner of the local Trading Post before it was claimed for the Empire. Spends most of his time at the Talisman. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE All residents of Tempust know the following information about the mote and its neighbors: Mote Geography The mote of Dzungala is triangular in shape and roughly 50 miles across (north to south). Beaches line the north, east, and south coasts, with sheer black cliffs to the west. A rain forest dominates the motes interior, which rises and falls, creating a series of hills and gorges. The forest provides Tempust with a ready supply of wood, rich topsoil, fruit, herbs, and meat, not to mention goods that can be traded to other motes for grain, wool, and various other commodities that Dzungala can’t provide. Mote Weather Dzungala is a subtropical mote. The summers are warm and humid, with frequent showers of misty rain. The heavy rain usually comes in the winter, when the temperature is mild during the day and cool enough for long sleeves at night. Thunderstorms are common, but the sky remains calm throughout the year. Once or twice each winter, the mote is peppered with hail, but these hailstorms turn to rain quickly. Mote Life Tempust is the only settlement on Dzungala. The remainder of the mote is home to harmless subtropical wildlife as well as stirges, fire beetles, snakes, spiders, scorpions, boars, and the odd spitting drake. Before the mote was colonized, Iyiniwok tribesman used to hunt rage drakes on the mote, but there don’t seem to be any more of them around (which is a good thing). As the Tengal Empire has been building up and refortifying the fort they renamed Tempust and outsourcing work to outliers and adventurers to help defend the city and tame the local jungle. The mote is not a perticularly large mote but the diverse jungle population presents a problem for future expansion and civilization. The Tengal have also encountered some strange events on Dzungala that when they asked the caputured Iyiniwoks they were met with vague and frustrating answers. The rumors pertain to the following: Moss Terror Reports are that those who venture into the north end of the jungle will encounter death. Rumors surround attacks from something that blends with the jungle and attacks with poision. The seclusion of the area and the natual rise of the land in that area could provide a good lair for a dragon. Unkown to all it is a dragon named Kheth. Scattered Iyiniwok The Iyiniwok that escaped have been doing gorilla warfare upon anyone and everyone who enteres the jungle. They are extremly fierce and have not been open to communication. Reports are that they are being lead by a Witch Doctor who controls the center of the mote. Undercaves A vast network of caves exist on this mote and the Iyiniwok are forthcoming in that they constantly defended against Goblinoid raids. Pirate Cove The Iyiniwok also speak of a "Metal Eagle" that comes around every few months and lands somewhere on the mote that they have never been able to explore. Serpent Hill This lonely hill is a day-and-a-half’s walk from Tempust. Atop it rests a crumbled ruin, in the middle of which sits an old stone shrine. The ruin was probably an abbey or temple dedicated to some ancient snake cult, as the grounds are strewn with toppled statuary depicting snake-headed men. There are a few kobold minions that patrol the forest near the hill, probably to discourage exploration of the ruin. The Mysterious “Ghost Giant” Citizens of Tempust who explore the misty southern beach at low tide occasionally spot enormous footprints in the sand, leading to and from the nearby woods. It is commonly believed that a giant lives somewhere on the mote, although it has yet to reveal itself to the people of Tempust. Abolition , the captain of the guard, believes it’s a hill giant, but attempts to locate “the Ghost Giant” or its lair have proven fruitless. Vorkon The mote of Vorkon can be seen from Dzungala's northern shore. The savage orcs and ogres that inhabit Vorkon belong to the Firespear tribe, so named because they like to douse their spears in flaming pitch. These fell creatures have dark gray skin covered with warpaint, but they don’t wear much armor. The Firespear chieftain has never been seen, although there’s a standing bounty of 1,000 crowns on its head. (The bounty was issued by Imperial order 1420 DY and is still honored by the current magistrate.) An active volcano rises up from the jungles of Vorkon, spewing a thin plume of black smoke and white ash into the sky. If Vorkon has a dragon overlord, no one in Tempust has seen it. Other Motes Near Dzungala Most of the other motes within easy reach of Dzungala are barren shards of volcanic rock jutting angrily out of the sky. They serve as perches for harpies that feast on fish and the occasional airman. The closest Essa Motes of consequence are the Sister Mountains, Castanamir and Mheletros. City of Caves, is hewn out of the dark cliffs of Castanamir, while Mheletros is home to a massive Tengal prison-fortress called Tarnish. ---- BRIEF HISTORY OF Dzungala High points of the motes history are summarized below: 1100 DY Kheth usurps the Mote from a copper dragon named Irindol. 1369 DY Varzgus finds gold on Dzungala and uses it to build a trading post. Iyiniwok permits the construction of Varzgus' Post in exchange for gold. 1375 DY Varzgus Post grows and is renamed Tyrak’n by the Iyiniwok whom many have moved to live there. 1377 DY Three townsfolk go missing while gathering wood. Rumers spread to keep people away from the ruin atop Serpent Hill. 1384 DY Orc raiders from the neighboring mote of Vorkon attack Tyrak’n. Varzgus son Leryk slays six orcs by himself. By year’s end, he is declared the new warlord. 1385 DY Orc raiders step up their attacks on Dzungala until a green dragon finally intervenes. Leryk von Zarkyn travels to the mote of Vorkon to kill the orc chieftain, and return with his head. Leryk and his retinue set sail from Tyrak’n and never return. Leryk’s twin sister Lenya becomes warlord. 1415 DY The captain of the guard and two other town guards vanish without a trace one cold winter’s night. 1422 DY Lenya von Zarkyn dies during childbirth rulership returns to the Goliath. 1432 DY The Goliath join the Iyiniwok Confederacy. 1448 DY A shroud of fog envelops the mote for twenty days. During that time, wind devils attack Tyrak’n and abduct several townsfolk. 1455 DY The ship Morrow’s Folly ''is caught in a terrible storm and crashes near Tyrak’n. The captain and several children survive the shipwreck and remain in town. 1456 DY The ''Storm Goddess, Sky King Draeken Malios’s flagship, drops anchor in Tyrak’n. Malios meets privately with Iyiniwok Confederacy leaders on the mote, then departs suddenly. 1467 DY Another green dragon challenges Kheth’s rulership of the mote but is driven off. Witnesses see an epic dragon battle on the north end of the mote. 1470 DY Three teenagers from Tyrak’n explore Serpent Hill and are never seen again. 1471 DY Townsfolk begin seeing Vorkon orcs on the mote. But they are quickly distracted when the Tengal army invades and quickly occupies the city. Renaming the city Tempust they start to improve the defences of the city. 1474 DY Present year. ---- YOUR ORIGIN STORY The campaign begins on the mote of Dzungala , which begs the question: Are you a native of the mote, or did events conspire to bring you here? This section describes some likely origin stories for your character. Once you’ve chosen or concocted a story for your character, you can begin to hash out the details with your DM. YOU'RE TYRAK'N BORN Human, Half-elf, Halfling, Goliath, Dragonborn, Eladrin, Half-Org, Mul ONLY. You are a Tyrak’n native. Your family lives in town and either fishes, forages, tends a modest garden, or runs a small business. You are friends with just about everyone in town, although you’ve probably forged a very close bond with at least one of the individuals listed under Personalities of Tyrak’n (above). What are your feelings of the new rulers and the occupation? If you are a Half-Elf between the age of 17 and 25, you may choose to be the son or daughter of Magistrate Cyrik de Deagla, giving you a fair amount of local clout. Your father is a shrewd leader and has taken great pains over the years to appease the motes inhabatants and uphold his grandfather’s good name. Your mother is warm and funny in private, but surprisingly aloof and formal in public. You fear that there’s something important she hasn’t told you or your father . . . a secret she’s likely to carry to her grave. If you are a halfling between the age of 17 and 25, you have had a troubled older or younger brother named Kynt who disappeared four years ago. Kynt broke the law when he persuaded two other local youths (a human boy named Jesper and a half-elf girl named Vazia) to join him on an expedition to the ruins atop Serpent Hill. No one is allowed there, by order of the Magistrate. Kynt and his friends never returned, and the Magistrate refused to send a hunting party to find them. YOU'RE A SHIPWRECKED ORPHAN Nineteen years ago, a ship called the Morrow’s Folly ''crashed on the mote of Dzungala during a freak storm. The only survivors were the captain—a half-elf named Denarion Morrow—and several young children. You were very young at the time (2–5 years old then, making you 21–26 years old now), so you don’t remember anything. You and the other children were adopted by the local townsfolk and raised as native Tyrak’ns. Although he’s not much of a father figure, Captain Morrow has been watching over you all these years, but he still claims that he can’t remember anything that happened before the shipwreck. You have no clue where you came from, or who your real parents are. You are friends with just about everyone in town, although you’ve probably forged a very close bond with at least one of the individuals listed under Personalities of Tyrak’n (above). Four years ago, three of your friends (a troubled halfling boy named Kynt, a curious human lad named Jesper, and a half-elf girl named Vazia) left town to explore Serpent Hill, even though locals are strictly forbidden to go there. They never returned. Captain Morrow urged Magistrate von Zarkyn to send a patrol to locate them, but the Magistrate refused. The two men haven’t spoken since. Jesper and Vazia were survivors of the ''Morrow’s Folly ''shipwreck, and Captain Morrow regrets not going after them himself. YOU'RE FORSAKEN You were born and raised elsewhere, brought to the mote of Dzungala by ship, and, for whatever reason, left behind. Hoping to find your place in the community, you’ve probably forged a close bond with at least one of the individuals listed under Personalities of Tyrak’n (above). If you are a Genasi or Tiefling, you may be the son or daughter of parents who were exiled from Essa soil. One or both of your parents may have been pirates or outspoken opponents of the Tengal Empire. In either case, they probably figured you’d be safe on a small, backwater mote of little consequence to the rest of the empire. If you are an elf between the age of 24 and 30, you may choose to be the son or daughter of Lady Thariel de Deagla from a previous marriage. Your father is a wealthy ship captain named Torel Winterleaf who recently made some powerful enemies. Three weeks ago, you were spirited out of City of Caves by your father’s servants, smuggled aboard the tradeship ''Lantheon, and sent to stay with your mother for your own safety. You never got a chance to say goodbye to your father, and your mother didn’t exactly welcome you with open arms. It’s been 23 years after all, and your sudden arrival has created unrest in de Deagla Manor. For his part, Magistrate de Deagla seems to be handling the situation quite well, particularly since your mother never told him she had a child with her previous husband. If you are a tiefling between the age of 17 and 25, you may choose to be the niece or nephew of Lucius Vezetus, the friendly proprietor of the Talisman. You were born and raised in the slums of the City of Caves, and several years ago your parents brought you to see “Uncle Lucius” as a child and left you with him without explanation. Although he makes you do chores around the tavern, your uncle has been very forgiving of your irksome adolescent antics. When asked about your parents, he merely frowns and grumbles in Infernal. NONE OF THE ABOVE Perhaps you’ve come to Dzungala for entirely different reasons. As a result, you may or may not have forged strong ties with the community. Some brief suggestions are listed below: • Someone you care about was arrested ten years ago by Tengal authorities and sent to the prison mote of Mheletros. You believe this person was imprisoned wrongfully, and the key to clearing his or her good name rests with a missing sky captain named Denarion Morrow . . . whom you’ve finally tracked to the backwater town of Tempust. • You swindled or double-crossed a sky captain named Lydia Taralan, only to discover afterward that she was working for Sky King Avenal. Upon learning the truth, you fled aboard the hammership Lantheon, headed for Tempust. You’ve opted to lay low until things blow over. Hopefully by then, you will have found some protection . . . or some way to make amends. • The church of Avandra has sent you to Tempust to assist the local priest, Sister Alyson. She specifically requested “someone gifted with an adventurous spirit.” Alyson believes that certain townsfolk are blessed with an adventurous nature that will soon manifest, but they need Avandra’s assistance to survive their travails. You are the one Sister Alyson hopes will help these other adventurers “safely walk the dark path.” • You had a vivid dream about a silver dragon. It asked you to travel to the mote of Dzungala and locate a man named Johias Ilum. The dragon in your dreams sounded real enough, and it also claimed that the rewards for your success would be great. • You recently joined the crew of the hammership Lantheon, but your duties to date have been less than thrilling. The ship has just returned to Tempust loaded with goods, and you’re beginning to think that maybe Captain Raiko isn’t going to promote you anytime soon. A airmans life isn’t as exciting as you’d dreamt it would be, and you see yourself wanting more. • Genasi, Dwarf, Gnome, Warfarged ONLY - You are a well trained slave to a Tiefling noble who has come to Dzungala for some unknown reason. Upon your arrival he leaves you to care for his belongings and set him up in an inn, and walked off into the jungle to "deal with personal matters" for the past four weeks he has been missing and you are getting worried.